Sheet dispensing device



June 1, 1965 E. WALTZ 3,186,613

SHEET DISPENS ING DEVICE Filed Oct. 5, 1962 a Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.EDWARD WALTZ ATTORNEYS June 1, was E. ALT-2 3,186,613

SHEET DISPENSING DEVICE INVIENTOR. EDWARD WALTZ MTQRNEYS June 1,1965EY.WALTZ" I 3,186,613

T DISPENSING DEVICE I Filed 0on5, 1962 s Sheets-Sheet a INVENTOR. EDWARDWALTZ ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,186,613 SHEET DESPENSEJG DEVICEEdward Waltz, Grand Rapids, Mich, assignor to E. 0. Euiman ManufacturingCompany, Inc, Grand Rapids, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Filed Oct.5, 1962, Ser. No. 228,651 4 Claims. (Cl. 225-80) This invention relatesin general to a device for dispensing sheet material from a supplythereof and, more particularly, to a dispensing device of this characterwhich is especially designed for guiding the movement of a strip ofmaterial, such as film or foil, from a roll thereof and for severing aportion of the strip from the roll.

Various types of devices have been widely and successfully used for manyyears to dispense sheet materials, such as paper, from a roll thereof.One such device is disclosed in US. Patent No. 2,234,818, issued toElvah O. Bulman. However, it has been found that many moistureproofsheets, such as plastic films and metallic foils,

which can be advantageously used in wrapping operations, are notproperly handled by existing dispensing devices. More specifically, mostof the cutting and guiding mechanisms on present dispensing devices wereoriginally designed for handling paper. Accordingly, the use of filmsand foils has often been made inconvenient and has sometimes beencurtailed for the lack of a dispenser having a satisfactory cutting andguiding mechanism. Where the sheet materials have been laminated and/orreinforced with threads, such as glass fibers, of high tensile strength,the existing dispensers have been virtually useless.

In the course of considering this problem, it developed that acompletely new approach would be required for producing a satisfactorycutting and guiding mechanism and that little improvement could beexpected from merely reworking the existing mechanisms presently used tohandle the weaker materials. That is, whereas existing devices forsupporting a roll of paper, incident to dispensing thereof, can besatisfactorily used to support rolls of film or foil, or variouscombinations thereof with other materials, the existing guiding andsevering mechanisms associated with such devices have not as yet beensatisfactorily modified for cutting films and foils.

It was also found that the various types of film, foil and reinforcedsheets often require different types of cutting edges to produce asatisfactory severance of the material from a roll thereof. For bestresults, a cutting mechanism having the proper cutting edge should beavailable for quick attachment to the dispensing device and should beeasy to use with its corresponding material. However, it has been foundthat existing dispensing devices are infrequently adapted for suchversatility and, therefore, even if their cutting mechanisms are capableof satisfactory performance with one type of film or foil, they areoften unsatisfactory for other types.

Stripping of the cut edge of the sheet material away from the cuttingmechanism for easy and safe, manual engagement has also become a seriousproblem, particularly where films are involved, because there is aninherent tendency for films to cling to the frame and/ or cuttingmechanism on the existing dispensers of films. Some attempts, one ofwhich is disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 208,328, filedJuly 9, 1962, have been made in the past to overcome this problem. Thepresent invention was conceived in a continuing effort to provide afurther solution of this problem.

Under some circumstances, it is at least desirable, if not necessary, towrap certain types of articles with materials through which air can passrather freely. This requirement has created a serious problem wheremoistureproof lCe films are being used, particularly if the film hasbeen intentionally selected so that other articles can be wrapped in anair-tight package. To meet this problem, it has been necessary toperforate the film for certain uses. Existing devices for eifecting suchperforation have not been especially convenient. v

In addition to solving the above problems, the dispensing device of theinvention has been designed so that it can be easily adapted to avariety of different uses. That is, the invention may be applied todispensing devices used in a package wrapping department, or'along aproduction line, or at a check-out station in a retail store.

Accordingly, a primary object of this invent-ion has been the provisionof a device for receiving a strip of sheet material, such as film orfoil, from a roll thereof supported adjacent to or upon the device, andfor severing a portion of such material from the strip thereof neatly,easily, accurately and Without damaging in any way the severed portionor the remainder of the material from which said portion was severed.

A further object of this invention has been the provision of adispensing device, as aforesaid, which has a sheet guiding mechanismadapted to handle a variety of sheet materials with equal efficiency,and which has a severing mechanism capable of handling different sheetmaterials without substantial modification, if any, in such dispensingdevice.

A further object of this invention has been the provision of adispensing device, as aforesaid, which is capable of supporting the rollof sheet material, and which can be adapted to support an article to bewrapped in the sheet material dispensed by the device.

A further object of this invention has been the provision of adispensing device, as aforesaid, which is inexpensive to produce, whichis easy to install, which is simple and safe to operate, which requireslittle or no maintenance, and which has a pleasing appearance.

Other objects and purposes of this invention will become apparent topersons familiar with this type of equipment upon reading the followingdescriptive material and examining the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a dispensing device including aguiding mechanism embodying the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the dispensing device of FIGURE 1 incombination with a roll support and a conveyor.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line III-III inFIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a fragment of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a side view of said dispensing device as viewed from theopposite side appearing in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 6 is a broken perspective view of a modified dispenser embodyingthe invention.

FIGURE 7 is a broken sectional view taken along the line VII-VII inFIGURE 6.

FIGURE 8 is a broken, rear-end view of the dispensing device shown inFIGURE 6.

FIGURE 9 is a perspective'view of another modified dispenser embodyingthe invention.

FIGURE 10 is a sectional view taken along the line XX in FIGURE 9. I

For convenience in description, the terms upper, lower," front, rear andterms of similar import will have reference to the dispensing device ofthe invention in its normal position of operation and as appearing inFIGURES 1, 6 and 9. The terms inner, outer and derivatives thereof willhave reference to the geometric center of said dispensing apparatus andparts thereof.

General description The objects and purposes of the invention, includingthose set forth above, have been met by providing a device for receivinga strip of sheet material from a supply, such as a roll, thereof and forguiding and/ or controlling the movement of the strip from the roll to amechanism for severing a piece of the 'strip from the roll. The guidingmechanism includes a flat, flexible member over which the strip. of.material passes and which moves the cut edge of the strip away from thesevering mechanism, after a severing operation is performed.

In a modified embodiment, the frame of the dispensing device is enlargedto provide support for a roll of the sheet'material and to provide aplatform upon which articles can be wrapped in the sheet materialsevered from the roll thereof. The roll-supporting structure includes apair of spaced and parallel rollers at one end of the frame. In afurther modification of the invention, the dispensing device includesroll-supporting structure and means which is movable int o andout ofposition for perforating the sheet material.

Detailed construction The dispensing device (FIGURES l and 2), which hasbeen selected to illustrate one embodiment of the invention, iscomprised of a frame structure 11, a guide mechanism 12 and a cuttingmember or mechanism 13. In one particular embodiment of the invention,as shown in FIGURE 1, the frame structure 11 is substantiallyrectangular in shape and includes a base plate 14 and a pair of parallelend plates 16 and 17, which are rigidly secured to and extendperpendicularly away from the opposite ends ofthe base plate 14.

The cutting member 13 (FIGURES '1 and 2) includes an elongatedsubstantially rigid angle member 18 having a pair of angularly disposedlengthwise flanges 19 and 20. The opposite ends of the side flange 20(FIGURE 3) are bent over to form a pair of end flanges .23 and 24(FIGURE 1),.which are secured to the end plates 16 and 17, respectively,by means such as the screw 26. Accordingly, by loosening the screws 26,the angle member 18 can be adjusted around its lengthwise axis.

An elongated, flat and substantially rigid blade 27 is secured to andupon the outer surface of the side flange 20 so that the cutting edge28' of said blade, which is serrated in this. particular embodiment,extends slightly above or beyond the adjacent surface of the top flange19..

The cutting member 13 extends between the corners of the end plates 16and 17 defined by their upper and rearward edges 31, 32 and 33, 34,respectively.

The guide mechanism 12 includes upper and'lower guide rollers 37 and 38(FIGURES 1 and 3) which are rotatably, supported inspaced parallelrelationship upon and between the end plates 16 and 17. Morespecifically, the upper guide roller 37 has end portions 39 and 40(FIGURES 1 and ,5) which are of reduced diameter and are rotatablydisposed within the openings 42 and 43 in the end plates 17 and 16,respectively. The lower roller 38 has similar end portions of reduceddiameter which extend through corresponding openings. in said end plates16 and 17. The guide rollers 37' and 38 are located near the'corners of,the end plates 16 and 17 defined by the upper edges 31 and 32 thereofand the front edges. 44 and. 45 thereof.. The upper guide roller 37 issubstantially closer to the upper edges of the side plates than to. thefrontedges of the side plates and the lower roller 38 is substantiallycloser to the front edges of the side plates than to the upper edgesthereof.

The guide mechanism 12 also includes -an adjustable sheet guide 47 whichextends perpendicularly between and is. supported upon the end plates 16and 17, and it is" located between the cutting member 13 and the guiderollers 37 and 38. That is, said sheet guide 47 extends upwardly .andrearwardly from a line below the upper guide roller 37. The sheet guide47 (FIGURES 1 and 3) includes an elongated and substantially rigidsupport element 48 which may be similar in construction and shape whichare adjustably secured to the opposing surfaces of the end plates 16 and17 by the screws 56. Accordingly, the position of the element 48ar0undits lengthwise axis can be adjusted by loosening the screws 56, rotatingsaid element 48 and thereafter tightening the screws.

A thin, elongated and substantially flat guide member 57, which isfabricated from resiliently flexible material, such as plastic,fiberglass or metal, is secured along one edge thereof upon the flange51, which is near to but spaced from the lower guide roller 38. Theguide member 57- is here shown as being transparent, which is desirable,but it can betranslucent or opaque if desired. In this particularembodiment, the guide member 57 is secured upon said flange 51 by anelongated metal strip 58, which is preferably about as long as the sideflange 51, and by the rivets or screws- 59. 'The guide member 57 ispreferably of such width that its free edge extends almost to, but doesnot touch, the adjacent edge of the top flange 19 on the angle member18, when the guide member 57 is bent toward said angle member 18 (FIG-URE 3). Under normal circumstances, the support element 48 ispositioned, as appearing in FIGURE 4, so that the guide member 57 bearssnugly against the upper guide roller'37, which is almost directly abovethey support element 48. The amount of pressure between the guide member57 andthe upper roller 37 can be adjusted by rotating the supportelement 48 in one rotational direction or the other around itslengthwise axis.

As shown in FIGUREZ, the dispensing device 10 can be employed inconjunction with a substantially conventional rack 62 having a shaft 63for rotatably supporting a roll .64 of sheet material 66, suchrasmoistureproof film, foil, paper :or the like. Moreover, the dispensingdevice 10 and the rack 62 can be used'in conjunction with a conveyor 67upon which thepieces68 of sheet material 66 are placed after theyaresevered from the roll thereof.

Operation In using the dispensing device 10,. a companion unit, such asthe .rack' 62(FIGURE 2 is normally required to support the roll 64 ofsheet material, which is fed through the dispensing device. As shown inFIGURE 4, the sheet material 66 maybe fed over the lower guide roller 38andthen under the upper guide roller 37 so that it is resilientlypressed against the upper guide roller by the resiliently flexible guidemember 57. Normally, the guide member 57 will'be in its FIGURE 4position, thereby holding the edge 69. of the sheet material 66 upwardlyaway from the cutting edge 28 on the blade 27.. This serves, to.minimize injury to "the hand of the operator, who must grasp the freeedge 69 of the sheet material 66 to initiate a dispensing operation.

When it becomes desirable to remove a piece 68 of sheet material fromtherroll 64 thereof, the free edge 69 of the sheet material ismanuallyengaged and pulled rearwardly away from the guide mechanism 12 beyond,and rearwardly of, the cutting edge 28. When the proper amount of'sheetmaterial extends beyond thelcutting edge 28, the'sheet material is moveddownwardly-so that it engages the cutting edge 28, whereby the piece issevered from the remainder of the roll. The guide member 57 is bentdownwardly (FIGURE 3) during the downward movement'of the sheetmaterialtoward the cutting edge 28. The resistance of the guidemember'57 to such downward movement is'relatively small. However, when thesevering operation is completed, the guide member 57 promptly movesupwardly from its FIGURE 3 position into its FIGURE 4 position, therebymoving the edge 69 of the sheet material66 away from said blade 27. Theengagement of the sheet material 66 between the guide member 57 andupper guide roller 37 prevents the sheet Alternate structure Themodified'dispensing device 71 (FIGURES 6 and 7 includes a framestructure 72 which supports near one end thereof a severing member '73and a guide mechanism 74. The frame structure 72 includes an elongatedbase plate 75 and a pair of upstanding, parallel and integral sideplates 76 and 77, which extend upwardly from the lengthwise edges of thebase plate. The guide mechanism '74 includes an upper guide roller 80, alower guide roller 81 and a sheet guide 82 which are preferably similarin construction and relative locations to the guide rollers 37 and 38and the sheet guide 47 of the dispensing device it).

A partition 83 (FIGURES 7 and 8), which is mounted within the framestructure 72, extends between the side plates 76 and 77 and upwardlyfrom the base plate 75, so that the upper edge of said partition ishorizontally aligned with and near to the support element 84 of thesheet guide 82. The partition 83 serves not only to strengthen the framestructure 72, but also to block access to the space within the framestructure 72 frontwardly of the guide mechanism 74.

he severing member 73 is, in this particular embodiment, a wire elementwhich is heated in a conventional manner for the purpose of severingfilm. However, a

cutting member, such as that indicated at 13 in the dispensing device1%), can be used in place of the heated wire 'member 73. The severingmember 73 may be electrically connected by the conductors 85 and 86 to'atransformer 91 which is connected to a standard source of 110 voltelectrical potential.

A pair of spaced and parallel rollers 87 and $8 are supported upon andextend between the side plates 76 and 77 near the front ends thereof.The rollers $7 and 88 have reduced end portions, two of which areindicated at 39 and 90 (FIGURE 6), which are slidably and rotatablyreceived through appropriate openings, such as the openings 3 and 94 inthe side plates 76 and 77. As shown in FKGURE 7, the rollers 87 and 88are arranged to support a roll 96 of sheet material 97, such as film,foil or a er.

p g fiat shelf member 98, which is preferably rectangular in shape, issupported upon the upper edges of the side plates 75 and 77 and extendstherebetween substantially parallel with the base plate 75. The shelfmember 98 has a downwardly extending flange 99 extending along its edgefor strength purposes and for positioning said shelf member upon theside plates. A brace bar 192 is secured to and extends between the sideplates 76 and 77 directly beneath and spaced from the front roller 87. Athumb screw 163 is threadedly received upwardly through the brace bar1%2 for engagement with the front roller 87 to control or brake itsrotational movement, and thereby prevent overrunning of the roll 96 ofsheet material during an unwinding operation.

The operationof the dispensing device 71, insofar as the guiding of thesheet material by the guide mechanism 74 and the severing of the sheetmaterial by the severing member 7 3 are concerned, may be substantiallythe same as discussed above with respect to the dispensing device 1ft.That is, with the roll 96 supported upon the rollers 87 and 33, thesheet material 97 is threaded from the roll beneath the shelf member 98,over the lower guide roller 81 and beneath the upper guide roller 39 sothat the sheet material is pressed'by the sheet guide 82 against theupper guide roller 3%. When a piece of the sheet material s7 isrequired, the free end of the sheet material adjacent the sheet guide 82is manually engaged and pulled away from the sheet guide 82 over thesevering member 73 until the right amount of such material is withdrawn.Then the material is moved downwardly so that it engages the severingmember 73 and is thereby separated from the remainder of the roll. Theresiliently flexible sheet guide 82 moves the severed edge of the sheetmaterial on the roll away from the severing member so that the operationcan be immediately and safely repeated.

The sheet material 97 can be moved away from the guide, mechanism 74beneath the severing member 73 so that the severing operation. isperformed by moving the sheet material upwardly. This arrangement may beparticularly convenient where the severed piece of material is placedupon the shelf member 9?) for the purpose of wrapping a packageindicated in broken lines at 1% in FIGURE 7.

In an alternate operation of the dispensing device 71, the sheetmaterial may be threaded, as indicated in FIG- URE 7, by the broken line97a, over the shelf member 98, under the upper guide roller 89 andthence over the sheet guide 82.

FIGURES 9 and 10 illustrate a modified dispensing device 119 having aframe structure 111 which is similar to, but somewhat shorter than, theframe structure 72. The guide mechanism 112 and severing member 113 maybe identical with the corresponding parts 74 and 73, respectively, inthe dispensing device 71. Likewise, a roll 114 of film 115, for example,is supported upon the frame structure 111 by a pair of spaced andparallel rollers 116 and 117.

A perforating roller 118 is adjustably and rotatably supported upon andbetween the'side plates 121 and 122 of the frame structure 111, so thatsaid roller 113 is movable into and out of a position parallel with andnear to the roller 117. That is, the side plates 121 and 122 havesimilar, opposing slots 123 and 124 which are substantially L-shaped.Said slots 123 and 124- have vertical legs 126 and 127, respectively,and sloping legs 128 and 129 which decline rearwardly from the upperends of the vertical legs 1% and 127, respectively. The opposite ends ofthe roller 118 extend through and are movable along the slots 123 and 12t. The roller 11% has integral barbs or pins which are capable ofperforating a film which is passed over the barbs. The roller isinoperative when it is at the lower ends of the vertical legs 126 and127. The roller is moved upwardly and then rearwardly into the slopinglegs 128 and 129 where it can produce said perforations in the film 115.The rings 131 on the roller 117 prevent excessive axial movement of theroll 114.

Although particular preferred embodiments of the invention have beendisclosed above in detail for illustrative purposes, it will beunderstood that variations or modifications of such structure, whichcome within the scope of the appended claims, are fully contemplated.

What is claimed is: I

1. A device for guiding and severing a piece of sheet material from aweb thereof, comprising:

a frame composed of a base plate and a pair of end plates;

a cutting member mounted on and extending between said end plates at theforward end thereof, said cutting member being substantially parallelwith said base plate and being adjacent the upper edge of said endplates;

a pair of vertically offset guide rollers rotatably sup ported inspaced, parallel relationship upon and between and close to the upperedges of the end plates substantially parallel with said cutting memberand spaced different distances therefrom (the axis of the guide rollerremote from said cutting member being located below a planesubstantially passing through 3,186,613 a 7 8 said cutting member andthe axis of the adjacent material can be cut from the remainder of theweb, guide roller; whereupon the guide'memberwill return to its upasheet guide mounted-on and extending between said wardly extendingposition to grip the web against the end plates and located below saidadjacent guide guide element in readiness for the next cuttingoperaroller, said sheet guide including a flat guide member tion. I V I7 extending upwardly and forwardly from below said 3. A device accordingto-claim 2 in which said guide adjacent guide roller toward said cuttingmember into member is a sheet of flexible, transparent'plastic and saidand through the space between said cutting member sheet guide includesmeans fixedly securing the lower and said adjacent guide roller, saidguide member edge of said transparent sheet to said sidewalls.

being of such length that when it is in a substantially 4. A device forsupporting a roll of sheet material and horizontal position it extendsclose to said cutting for severing a piece of said material from theroll theremember, said sheet guide being resiliently urged into of,comprising:

an upwardly extending position wherein a region bea substantiallyrectangular frame having a pair of tween its ends abuts against andextends substantially spaced, substantially parallel and elongated endtangent to said adjacent roller and its'free end is plates; disposedbetween said adjacent roller and said cutting roller means mounted uponand between said end member and extends a substantial distance abovesaid plates near the rearward" end of said frame for rotatadjacentroller whereby the web of sheet material ably supporting a roll of sheetmaterial;

can be threaded over said remote roller and under severing means mountedupon and between said end said adjacent roller and can be releasablyheld against 20 plates near the forward end'of said frame and close saidadjacent roller by said guide member when same to the upper edges ofsaid side walls, said severing is in said upwardly extending positionand whereby means having a substantially straightsevering edge saidguide member can :be moved downwardly by substantially parallelwith theaxis of a roll supported force applied to said web so that a portion ofsaid upon said roller means; web can be moved forwardly over and beyondsaid substantially flat shelf member supported upon said cutting memberand can be cut from the remainder of upper edges of said end platesbetween said roller the web, whereupon the guide member will return tomeans and said severing means whereby said sheet its upwardly extendingposition to grip the remainder material can be moved from said rollthereof over of the web against said adjacent roller in readiness saidshelf member andacross said severing edge, the for the next cuttingoperation. forward end of said shelf being spaced from said 2. A devicefor guiding and severing a piece of sheet severing edge material from aweb thereof, comprising: a guide roller rotatably supported upon andbetween a frameincludinga pair of spaced-apart end plates; said endplates adjacent the forward edge of said a cutting member mounted on andextending between shelf member, said guide roller being parallel withsaid end plates at the forward end thereof, said cutting said severingedge; member having a substantially horizontal cutting an elongatedsubstantially rectangular and resiliently edge located adjacent theupper edges of said end plates;

an elongated guide element supported upon and exa sheet guide mounted onand extending between said end plates, said sheet guide being mounted onsaid end plates at points below said plane, said Sheet guide including aflat guide member normally extending flexible strip and means mountingsame'on said end plates, said strip extending'forwardly from a pointlocated below and rearwardly of the lengthwise axis of said guide rollerto a point located forwardly of and above said guide roller, and spacedfrom said severing means, said strip being of such length that, when itis in a substantially horizontal position, it extends close to saidsevering edge, said strip being resiliently urged into anupwardly'extending position wherein a zone between its ends abutsagainst and extends substantially adjacent to said guide roller, and itsfree end is disposed between said guide roller and said severing edge.

upwardly and forwardly from below said guide element through said planebetween said cutting member and said guide element, said guide memberbeing yieldably urged against said guide element and forci- RefereneesCited by theExar'niner UNITED STATES PATENTS bly movable downwardly intoa substantially hori- 1,973,354 9/34 Nedberg 225-76 zontal positionwherein its free end extends close to 2,068,456 1/ 37 Hooper 83-2 X saidcutting member, said sheet material being 2,470,250 5/49 Kienle 225-8O Xthreaded upwardly and held firmly between said guide 2,730,310 1/56Schultz a; 225-77 element and said guide member when said guide2,751,163 6/56 Waltz 22554 X member is in said upwardly extendingposition, said 2,925,207 2/ Kunsch 225-7 guide member being moveddownwardly by a force 60 2,973,890 3/61 Krueger 22546 X applied theretoby said material when the end por- 3,039,664 6/ 62 Harrison et al 22596X tion of said material is moved forwardly over. and

beyond said cutting member so that a piece of the ANDREW JUHASZ, PrimaryExaminer;

1. A DEVICE FOR GUIDING AND SEVERING A PIECE OF SHEET MATERIAL FROM AWEB THEREOF, COMPRISING: A FRAME COMPOSED OF A BASE PLATE AND A PAIR OFEND PLATES; A CUTTING MEMBER MOUNTED ON AND EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID ENDPLATES AT THE FORWARD END THEREOF, SAID CUTTING MEMBER BEINGSUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL WITH SAID BASE PLATE AND BEING ADJACENT THE UPPEREDGE OF SAID END PLATES; A PAIR OF VERTICALLY OFFSET GUIDE ROLLERSROTATABLY SUPPORTED IN SPACED, PARALLEL RELATIONSHIP UPON AND BETWEENAND CLOSE TO THE UPPER EDGES OF THE END PLATES SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLELWITH SAID CUTTING MEMBER AND SPACED DIFFERENT DISTANCES THEREFROM (THEAXIS OF THE GUIDE ROLLER REMOTE FROM SAID CUTTING MEMBER BEING LOCATEDBELOW A PLANE SUBSTANTIALLY PASSING THROUGH SAID CUTTING MEMBER AND THEAXIS OF THE ADJACENT GUIDE ROLLER; A SHEET GUIDE MOUNTED ON ANDEXTENDING BETWEEN SAID END PLATES AND LOCATED BELOW SAID ADJACENT GUIDEROLLER, SAID SHEET GUIDE INCLUDING A FLAT GUIDE MEMBER EXTENDINGUPWARDLY AND FORWARDLY FROM BELOW SAID ADJACENT GUIDE ROLLER TOWARD SAIDCUTTING MEMBER INTO AND THROUGH THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID CUTTING MEMBERAND SAID ADJACENT GUIDE ROLLER, SAID GUIDE MEMBER BEING OF SUCH LENGTHTHAT WHEN IT IS IN A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL POSITION IT EXTENDS CLOSETO SAID CUTTING MEMBER, SAID SHEET GUIDE BEING RESILIENTLY URGED INTO ANUPWARDLY EXTENDING POSITION WHEREIN A REGION BETWEEN ITS ENDS ABUTSAGAINST AND EXTENDS SUBSTANTIALLY TANGENT TO SAID ADJACENT ROLLER ANDITS FREE END IS DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID ADJACENT ROLLER AND SAID CUTTINGMEMBER AND EXTENDS A SUBSTANTIAL DISTANCE ABOVE SAID ADJACENT ROLLERWHEREBY THE WEB OF SHEET MATERIAL CAN BE THREADED OVER SAID REMOTEROLLER AND UNDER SAID ADJACENT ROLLER AND CAN BER RELEASABLY HELDAGAINST SAID ADJACENT ROLLER BY SAID GUIDE MEMBER WHEN SAME IS IN THEUPWARDLY EXTENDING POSITION AND WHEREBY SAID GUIDE MEMBER CAN BE MOVEDDOWNWARDLY BY FORCE APPLIED TO SAID WEB SO THAT A PORTION OF SAID WEBCAN BE MOVED FORWARDLY OVER AND BEYOND SAID CUTTING MEMBER AND CAN BECUT FROM THE REMAINDER OF THE WEB, WHEREUPON THE GUIDE MEMBER WILLRETURN TO ITS UPWARDLY EXTENDING POSITION TO GRIP THE REMAINDER OF THEWEB AGAINST SAID ADJACENT ROLLER IN READINESS FOR THE NEXT CUTTINGOPERATION.